The township celebrated the grand opening of its new stations in Richboro and in Holland during Saturday's dedication ceremonies.
Patch Staff
|Updated Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 6:18 am ET
NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP, PA — Northampton Township on Saturday celebrated the dedication of its two new state-of-the-art fire stations, which opened in late spring in Richboro and Holland.
Board of Supervisors Chairman and Northampton Township Fire Chief Adam Selisker presided at the double ceremonies held at its new East Holland Road station and at its new headquarters at 3 Township Road.
“Today we stand together to celebrate the grand opening of our new Northampton Township fire stations, the cornerstone of our community’s resilience and safety,” said Selisker standing in front of the new Station 3 and before a gathering of residents and first responders.
“These state-of-the-art facilities are not just buildings. They are a testament of your board of supervisors’ commitment to their obligation to provide for the safety of our community,” said Selisker.
Northampton Township Fire Chief and chairman of the board of supervisors Adam Selisker delivers remarks at Station 3. (Jeff Werner/Patch)
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Preparing to cut the ribbon on the new Station 3. (Jeff Werner/Patch)
From left are Northampton Township Fire Company officers.
Former Chief Jack Kay started with the Richboro Fire Company, which later became the Northampton Township Volunteer Fire Department, in 1947.
“Equipped with state-of-the-art technology to keep our responders healthy and staffed by our brave firefighter EMTs, these stations serve as a beacon of security,” he said.
“Having full time staff in the buildings along with volunteers we have already seen the immediate benefits with significantly reduced response times to fire and emergency medical calls. Simply put, fire trucks and ambulances are getting to your emergency faster,” the chief said.
“Inside these walls are dedicated firefighters - career and volunteer - equipped with the latest technology and ready to respond with unmatched courage and skill. They are our every day heroes putting their lives on the line to keep us safe 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year," said Selisker.
“Join us in celebrating this new chapter with gratitude for those who serve and protect us daily," he said. "Here’s to a future where our community continues to thrive and and stand strong united in our shared mission to safeguard each other.”
Selisker was joined at the ceremony by members of the board of supervisors who authorized the construction of the new stations and who arranged for the financing of the projects through grants and bond issues.
Vice Chairman Barry Moore thanked everyone who had a part in getting the project done. “It’s a remarkable building,” he said. “Our community is safe because of all of our firefighters, police officers and EMS workers. It’s so wonderful to live in a community that’s safe and protected. I’d like to thank each and everyone of you.”
Supervisor Dr. Kimberly Rose added, “Our responsibility is to make sure that we keep the people protecting our community safe. One thing about these building that makes me feel so proud is that we have decontamination rooms that when our people fight a fire they can come back, there’s a place for them to get all those toxins off of their body. And there a place for them to sleep.”
Harvey Boyer, Deputy Chief of the Office of the State Fire Commissioner, commended the fire department, the township and the community for having the leadership and vision to bring the projects to fruition for the safety of the community.
Harvey Boyer, Deputy Chief of the Office of the State Fire Commissioner.
“We are here today to celebrate and recognize a municipality and a fire department that had a clear vision, worked together for more than a decade to address the challenges and evolved their fire services into what you have today," said Boyer. "They are laser focused on response time and providing the best possible coverage for the community.
"In today's fire service, quick response is critical," he said. "The time frame of fire spread in today’s world has increased exponentially. It isn’t the same fire it was 30 years ago. Northampton identified this as a top priority and a guiding light for planning.
"It also takes dedication of elected officials at all levels" to make something like this happen, he continued. "Dedication of chief officers. Dedication of line officers. And also the front line staff - the boots on the ground - that are here to respond but also to continue in their dedicated training."
The gathering also heard from State Senator Frank Farry, who also serves as chief of the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company. He was accompanied by State Rep. Kristin Marcell and Joe Hogan in presenting citations to the company recognizing the dedication of its new buildings.
The three lawmakers, said Chief Selisker, have brought millions of dollars into the township to help build the two new fire stations.
According to Farry, who chairs the Senate Fire and Safety Emergency Services Committee, the volunteer fire service continues to shrink. "In the 1970s there were more than 300,000 volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania. We're down to about 30,000. We are slowly going the way of the dinosaur."
State Senator Frank Farry with State Reps. Kristin Marcell and Joe Hogan.
With that said, Farry congratulated Northampton Township for its efforts to lead the way in both Bucks County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in moving to a career department and updating its infrastructure to meet the township's future needs.
"Not only are you leading the way within Bucks County you're leading the way in the Commonwealth in terms of both the facilities that we're recognizing today but also the men and women who staff these facilities," he said. "By having paid career firefighters, you're saving the time of dispatch and getting to the fire faster. It's going to make a tremendous difference in this community."
The Richboro Fire Company No. 1 was formed in 1914 to serve the township.
While the record is unclear of the exact location of the first station, the fourth station was built on Township Road by the newly named Northampton Township Volunteer Fire Company.
From left: Chief Adam Selisker; Harvey Boyer, Deputy Chief of the Office of the State Fire Commissioner; and company president Matt Sklodowski. (Jeff Werner/Patch)
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